So you find yourself on the "hate" side of the ad network love/hate debate (or should we say, debacle?).
It could be because you are a fairly small, single domain publisher that doesn't have the traffic to attract large advertisers, and you hate being dependent on ad networks to bring in the big brands.
Maybe you're slightly larger, with several web properties, but you can't sell all of your inventory, so you have to unload your remnants at jaw-droppingly low CPMs. Or perhaps you're a media giant, and you're seeing your dedicated ad ops team be one-upped by ad network reps promising the world (i.e., targeting) to data-thirsty media buyers.
Whatever the scenario, we're hoping you've channeled your anger into a constructive decision -- that is, to build your own network.
Say what you will about the ad network industry and its many players, but the truth is this: The ad network arbitrage model works. If you have the opportunity, why not beat them at their own game? You'll not only expand your inventory and audience reach, thus increasing the value of your ad offerings, but you'll also gain a better understanding of your media assets and have the control to automate and optimize large-scale buys -- a key part of scaling any digital business.
The steps to building your own vertical ad network are fairly straightforward. However, business development and ad operations executives often hit a big bump in this roadmap to growth when it comes time to select a network management platform.
It certainly can be confusing: In the past year, the number of platforms available for licensed use has nearly doubled, and there are now more than a dozen choices in the market. They range from Cox-backed Adify's Network Builder to the so-new-it's-not-even-on-the-website Partner360 product from Operative. And then, of course, there is the April 2009 release of Doubleclick's Network Builder (DNB), built on the Google DART for Publishers system.
How do you find the best network management platform for your needs? Here is a five-step approach:
Anticipate the needs of both your company and your publisher partners
To maximize yield of your newly expanded inventory, you'll want your network management system to provide sophisticated levels of targeting, inventory forecasting, and top-level insights. You may also want the platform to handle billing -- that is, publisher payouts.
But you're no longer a one-man show; the new publisher partners are likely going to want tools for targeting, tracking, and reporting, too. They may also require extra features like ad blocking and video ad serving compatibility. Take this laundry list of necessary features with you when you start comparison shopping.
Do a wide sweep of available platforms
As noted above, the space is growing fast, and there are new vendors popping up literally every month. Don't assume that you know what's out there, because it's changing every day. We keep an updated shortlist of recommended platform providers on our website; that's a good place to start. But you can also trust your own research skills and tap into your professional network to find out about any new players that you should take into consideration.
Try them out
You can't know if you'll like a technology solution unless you've taken it for a test drive. Contact sales reps for some of the platforms that sparked your interest and ask for demo accounts. You can be as objective as you want about feature sets and integration capabilities, but at the end of the day, you want the network technology platform to just feel right. Think about the hordes of B2B professionals out there that are frustrated by the usability of their CRM platforms. Now avoid that situation by giving your ad operations team the best network management dashboard out there, specifically for their needs and preferences.
While you are in the trial process, also take the opportunity to ask each vendor to explain in detail the targeting and management functionality of its system as well as its technical infrastructure, implementation, processes, and pricing structure. The more information you get, the better.
Next page >>
